Topic: what to plant at this time of year? newbie

[fothers]

Our new allotment is finally (hopefully) ready for use.  What can we plant there at this time of year?

We are complete beginners so any help or ideas would be great!

Lisa

[Nigella]

Hello and welcome  ;D

You could try planting some swiss chard - and if you are lucky it should survive the winter, winter lettuces can also be sown now.

If you can get hold of any potatoes - you can do them now as well - get them in quick and they will be ready in October !

In September you can plant hardy broad beans, onion sets (for next year), and garlic.

November is the ideal time for planting rhubarb as well. I will also be trying to grow some bulbs chervil - planting time October / November.

Check out the organic gardening catalogue - you can get quite a few ideas from there.

Enjoy !

[fothers]

excellent thanks- I want to get some things in an feel that we are getting somewhere rather than it being empty all winter

 :)

[Moggle]

Might even be worth trying some dwarf french beans? I sowed some just a couple of weeks ago.

[wardy]

Climbing french beans too, broad beans, lettuces, turnips, carrots, peas, overwintering onion sets are easy and will reward you with lots of lovely onions next summer.  Brassica plants (lots of peeps have ordered plant collections from Dobies for £8 odd delivered which works out at 17.5 p per plant and they are mixed brassicas for despatch from now til September.  I'm going to sow some mixed chinese leaves too.  I think you can still put beetroots in and there are some spring onions (White Lisbon) which you can sow now and through September.  Still time I think for some Little Gem lettuces.  I have grown them in amongst my onions and they are lovely and quite dear in the shops  :o
I quite agree with you about getting food in as that's what it's all about.  Why leave your plot empty if you can be growing some lovely grub  :)

[amphibian]

I am a newbie and I am putting in carrots, turnips, beets, broad beans, french beans, peas, onions, cabbage, lettuce, mizuna, rapini, rocket, cauliflower, kale, spinach, fennel, corn salad, various oriental veg, endive, chickory and various herbs.

[wardy]

Amphib   Great list of stuff there  :)  I'm not struck on turnips but I'm assured if I grow those little pink topped ones and saute them til they're sort of caramelised then I'll be hooked.  So I've bought a packet of those Purple Top Milan ones and hoping for great things  :)

[fothers]

that is great!

 I did not realise that there was so much I could grow in winter!

[wardy]

Fothers    good luck with your sowing and planting. Pace yourself and don't dig too much or you'll regret it.  Little and often  - if at all  ;D

[redcow]

Hi fothers

I am a newbie as well. In my plot I have leeks, spring onions, autumn carrots, red cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce and radish.

I was wanting to plant some turnips and thought I was too late but looking at these postings I am going to plant some this weekend.
Should I put them straight into the ground or in the green house to get them going???

Good luck  :) :)

[Moggle]

Oh, and I can't seem to see anyone saying spring cabbage, and I noticed in a catalogue the other day that there are several swede varieties that are okay to sow up till july - well we're only just past july. I sowed some of them a week or so ago too. You could also try sowing some carrots, you'd probably end up with some small-ish ones

[Mubgrub]

Think I'll join you on the swede front Moggle!  My second batch got completely mown down by slugs whilst away even will beer traps and bran! :(

[amphibian]

Oh, and I can't seem to see anyone saying spring cabbage, and I noticed in a catalogue the other day that there are several swede varieties that are okay to sow up till july - well we're only just past july. I sowed some of them a week or so ago too. You could also try sowing some carrots, you'd probably end up with some small-ish ones

What Swede varieties are they? I have a packet of Marian, do you reckon I should sow some?

[Moggle]

Mr Fothergill's 'Marion' and 'Virtue', and it was the Marshall's catalogue I was looking in a few days ago, but no swedes on their new web site as yet! (and the catalogue is at home)

[wardy]

I agree about carrots and turnips.  I think I'd put the seeds directly into the soil as I have nowhere at home to get them going but if you have Redcow then do that.

I got some Swede seeds from Tulip-23 (where's he gone by the way?) Hi Tulip if you're out there  :)  and I reckon I might just put a row in.  I'm going for a row of bulb fennel too as that'll be fab winter food  :)

Not got my winter brassica collection from Dobies yet so expect if might arrive in September which will give me time to make some space  :-\

[Gail-M]

Hi Wardy,

where did you get your fennel ?

I fancy trying it - do you think it would be ok in Scotland to sow now ?


cheers ,Gail

[wardy]

My fennel seed was given to me by a fellow plotter.  I think it's called Selma and I reckon it came from Tuckers.  I think most seed catalogues have it.  Do you want some of mine?  I can tell you it makes big plants and they are delicious.